Egypt backs Lagarde for IMF top job

French Finance Minister Christine Lagarde said on Sunday she was "confident" of her chances of heading the International Monetary Fund, while declining to comment on her Israeli rival for the post."I am very confident, particularly after several meetings here in Egypt," Lagarde told reporters in Cairo after talks with her Egyptian counterpart Samir Radwan. "We have had excellent meetings."Egypt is on the 24-member executive board which is due to reach a consensus on naming a new IMF chief at the end of this month.

French Finance Minister Christine Lagarde, who has been on a whirlwind tour touting her credentials to head the International Monetary Fund, won the backing of Egypt, Indonesia and the UAE.In Cairo, Foreign Minister Nabil al-Arabi announced Egypt's support for Lagarde, who is running against Mexico's central bank chief Agustin Carstens and dark horse candidate Stanley Fischer, governor of the Bank of Israel.

Reuters - French Finance Minister Christine Lagarde said on Sunday she had received "very affirmative" support from the Egyptian government for her bid to become the next head of the International Monetary Fund.

AFP - French Finance Minister Christine Lagarde said on Sun

French Finance Minister Christine Lagarde, whose sights are set on the top job at the International Monetary Fund, said on Saturday in Saudi Arabia she was "full of confidence.""I am very confident," Lagarde told journalists in Jeddah, the economic capital of the world's top oil exporter, after "satisfying" meetings with King Abdullah and her Saudi counterpart, Ibrahim Assaf.Lagarde "is very competent and well-known as a successful minister... we must choose the right person to head (the IMF) without consideration for nationality, language or country," Assaf said.